Molecular diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni: a literature review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5902/2179460X69398

Keywords:

Schistosomiasis mansoni, Molecular biology, Kato-Katz

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. The molecular diagnosis of the disease is based on the use of molecular biology as a diagnostic tool. This work aimed to carry out an integrative review of the literature, searching for published works that used molecular biology to diagnose human populations affected by schistosomiasis mansoni. Of the selected articles, those that used fecal samples had sensitivity greater than 12% and specificity greater than 29%, while the sensitivity of studies that used urine in general was greater than 5% with specificities greater than 14%. Studies that used serum samples showed sensitivities of 13.9% to 96.3%, with a specificity above 98%. Thus, the study highlights the potential of using molecular biology as an alternative for diagnosing schistosomiasis mansoni in several areas with different levels of endemicity.

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Author Biographies

Eduardo Henrique Matos Pires, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ

Bachelor in Biological Sciences by the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE). Currently a Masters’s student of the Programa de Pós-graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia em Saúde (PPGBBS) by the Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ-PE.

Natália Adriely Ribeiro da Silva Costa, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ

Graduate in Biomedicine at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE). Currently a PIBIC-FIOCRUZ student working in schistossomiasis’s diagnostic.

Wheverton Ricardo Correia do Nascimento, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Adjunct professor of the Academic Area of Tropical Medicine and Permanent member of the Postgraduate Program in Morphotechnology (PPGM) at Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE).

Walter Lins Barbosa Júnior, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ

PhD, and postdoc in Sciences by the Programa de Pós-graduação em Biociências e Biotecnologia em Saúde (PPGBBS) at the Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ-PE. Currently Senior Lab Analyst of the Laboratório de Referência em Esquistossomose (LRE) at the Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ-PE.

Elainne Christine de Souza Gomes, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ

Researcher in Public Health - IAM/ Fiocruz/ PE (Department of Parasitology) and Coordinator of the Laboratório de Referência em Esquistossomose (LRE)

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Published

2025-01-15

How to Cite

Pires, E. H. M., Costa, N. A. R. da S., Nascimento, W. R. C. do, Barbosa Júnior, W. L., & Gomes, E. C. de S. (2025). Molecular diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni: a literature review. Ciência E Natura, 46, e69398. https://doi.org/10.5902/2179460X69398

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Biology-Genetics